March Cardmaking - golden die cut, beautiful background paper and a gold embossed greeting

Another fun evening with the girls making cards!!!!  For our first card I created these simply elegant ones!!  I cut the frame out of white cardstock.  In order to be efficient I laid out the tag for the next card in the center of the frame which made the off cut useful.  I created registration marks on my magnet sheet for the Big Shot and positioned my rectangle Nestibility so it would cut out a frame in the way that I wanted.  I left space on the bottom so that the girls could gold emboss the greeting of their choice from the Sincere Salutations set (SU).  That was a new experience for all of them so we had a few practice runs and everyone managed to get their greeting well embossed.  I ran the tracing wheel around my frame before I added the decorative paper behind the opening and glued this layer to my coordinating card front.  We then added our coordinating gold die cuts using white glue in a fine tip applicator to ensure a neat finish.  The leaf is Tim Holtz and the dragonfly is Spellbinders.  Very happy with these elegant cards!!           Therese

Card kits with bright paper, a large greeting and sequin embellishments

I made up a few of my card kits from the class to add to my stash.  

On the first one I used a different label to cut the bright pieces so I trimmed the greeting to the edges of the label and mounted them similar to my second card on my original post which you can see here.  I also added a little silver butterfly punchie to the mix of embellishments.  

For the second card I pretty much made it up as I did the original ones.  I did add some dots with a clear glitter gel pen all the way around the greeting in between the sequins.  I did add some embossed lines to my third card.  Card kits really make cardmaking quick and easy!!!  With all the pieces ready to go it often is just a matter of positioning and gluing them into place.  

Therese

A few more butterfly cards for my stash

 I had printed the butterflies for another project and they were sitting on my desk.  I decided to use them to make cards for my stash.  I used to different decorative papers for these two cards.  The aqua one is decorative scrapbook paper and the blue one is a digital decorative paper which I laser printed and trimmed down.  I added swirly die cuts (SX) to both of these in colours that coordinated with the background papers.  I had to sponge the edges of the focal element on the aqua cards to get it to contrast nicely with the background paper.  I added  laser printed greetings punched with the Word Window (SU) overlaid onto the butterflies. 

For these two cards I used laser printed two digital decorative backgrounds (Pixabay)  and trimmed them to size.  I mounted the to coordinating card fronts, added die cuts that coordinated (SX) and mounted little laser printed greetings punched with the Word Window punch (SU). 

Have really enjoyed making these cards and finding interesting colour combinations to make a variety of cards.               Therese

March Cardmaking - bunnies and bears for some very special wishes

For my last card I wanted a fairly quick card so I created these great cards with fun greetings!!  For anyone wanting Easter cards I had a few "hopping" greetings!!  I checked the internet for bunny greetings and found quite a few fun ones which I incorporated into my kits.  The teddy bear also provided the opportunity for some fun greetings which are "beary" special.  I have owned both of these dies for quite a long time and had only ever cut them once to provide a white cardstock sample which I store with the die.  I cut the bunnies mostly from brown cardstock and inserted a pink nose which I die cut from scraps.  I adhered a scrap of black cardstock behind the face to give it black eyes and highlighted the whiskers with a fine tip black permanent marker.  I gave all the bunnies an egg to hold which I created with an oval punchie embellished with washi tape. They look pretty cute!  The die comes with a flower for it to hold.  It will be fun to see how many other items I can find to put in its hands.  For the bear I cut the first one from black cardstock and cut the other little pieces from white cardstock, fussy cut them and glued them in place.  I watercoloured the muzzle and the paws.  Black would not work for eyes on this one so I put a piece of white in behind and added a dot with a black marker to create his eyes.  For all the others I cut them from different colours and used black on the back to create the eyes and watercolour to embellish their noses, tummies and paws.  I added coordinating hearts to all of their bellies!!  I created the coordinating ribbon embellishments as well.  I punched the cardstock strips with a border punch (SU), trimmed out every third set of holes with an exacto knife and then threaded through 1/4" ribbon securing the ends to the back using double sided tape.  I made all of these ahead of time!! 

Assembly was fairly easy.  Glued the backgrounds to the coordinating card fronts - scrapbook paper for the bear and hand decorated watercolour paper for the bunny, added the trimmed and embellished laser printed greetings and then positioned the ribbon embellishments above and over them.  The final step was to add the bears/bunnies with 3D foam tape to give them some dimension. Great cards!!  So glad I finally pulled these dies out and used them!!  They will make fun cards with special greetings!!!

Therese

A few more washi tape cards with fun greetings from card kits

I have really enjoyed making these washi tape cards!!  You can check out my wahsi tape tutorial here.
I started by creating a bit of a background wash using ink and water using my handmade foam stamp.  Next, I applied coordinating lengths of washi tape.  The green on the blue card is handmade with mylar tissue and double sided tape.  All three on the "Thanks" card are handmade with decorative tissue and double sided tape.  I embossed both of them manually with a hammer using different embossing folders before gluing them to the coordinating card front from the kits. I watercoloured the fun die cut (SX) greetings (image and regular fonts) and applied them to the front of the cards using 3D foam tape.  Lastly, I finished them off by adding coordinating sequins using double sided tape to adhere them to the cards.  Love the look of these!!  Card kits made these quick and easy cards.!!!                        Therese

All occasion cards created with reused calendar pages

I was needing a few all occasions cards and found an old calendar in my stash.  This one had been donated to me a while back for cardmaking so I thought I would see what I could make using it.  I started with this harbour scene which I thought would make a nice birthday card!!  I trimmed the image down to size (4" x 5.25") and punched an opening in the bottom section using the Modern Label punch (SU).  I tied a length of 1/8" ribbon between the opening and the left hand edge.  I mounted this large element to a yellow card and adhered a little laser printed greeting punchie (SU) in the opening so it was nicely framed. 

For the next two, I trimmed the images from the calendar pages.  For the hot air balloon card, I added a strip of gray and a green scalloped edged border below that to finish off my top layer.  Wanting to add texture I used my tracing wheel on the green border and pierced all the scallops with a push pin.  I mounted this layer to a blue card.  I added a little word window punchie greeting (SU) with double sided tape over the gray strip and my card was finished.  For the sailboat card, I adhered the large framed image to a yellow layer which I manually embossed on the bottom to add some texture.  At the last minute I decided to add the little laser printed font greeting to the bottom of the image so I carefully lifted the edge and inserted it using double sided tape to secure it to the back of the image and the yellow layer.  I had previously trimmed the bottom edge of the greeting with scallop decorative scissors and pierced each scallop with a push pin to add interest and texture.  I glued this large element to a red card front and I had finished another card!!

For the lake scene card, I trimmed the image to size (4" x 5.25") then simply stamped "my" with an alphabet stamp set and then mounted the "friend" die cut below it.  The die cut actually says "friends) so I simply cut off the "s" to get what I needed for this card.  I love the colours!!  I mounted this large element to a pink card and I was done!!  

For the next card I trimmed the lily pond image to 4" x 5.25" and added a length of narrow yellow ribbon before adhering it to a green card front.  I tied on an extra length of the ribbon to the one on the front using a single knot to simulate a bow.  I layered a small laser printed greeting  over a red Modern Label punchie to create my greeting and mounted it over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  

For the next two, I used the Word Window punch (SU) to create an opening in my trimmed images (4" x 5.25") and added a length of ribbon from the opening to the left hand edge.  I tied the two ends with a double knot to finish the ribbon.  I mounted a stamped greeting from the back so that it would appear in the opening and secured it with regular tape.  I mounted my finished card fronts to coordinating cards and I had another couple cards ready to go.  

I am pretty happy with my cards and glad to have reused some wonderful art!!

Therese

January Cardmaking - decorative paper and 3D embellishments

For our last card I always try to make it the easiest one!!  

For this one I used a decorative paper for the backgrounds - either a full quarter sheet or two coordinating pieces to create the whole.  I added a layered greeting that coordinated and trimmed the ends to four inches.  

The greetings were laser printed and layered onto coordinating cardstock.  At this point on some of them I added texture with my pattern tracing wheel!!  I tied a ribbon using a double knot on the one end that had room.  I glued the greeting to the card over where the papers joined or wherever looked good on the ones that whole backgrounds.  I created small 3D embellishments that were created using punchies or die cuts.  The butterfly is a die cut (QK), the bird is a layered punchie (SU), the left hand one is a silver foil flower die cut treated with alcohol inks with a sequin and brad  (TH) and the last one is layered punchies with a sequin and a brad.  These were added with double sided tape or 3D foam tape.   What a versatile design!  By changing the paper and the greeting you could make a card for any occasion.               Therese

January Cardmaking - washi tape, embossing and a large greeting

I have been playing with washi tape so created some cards for this class to make use of what I had created!!  You can check out my washi tape experiments here.   It was fun to use double sided tape and tissue paper to make washi tape!!  With a bit more coordinating options after my creative session I chose three short lengths for each of my cards.  I flagged the ends but you can see that others are just ripping them.  I overlapped them just slightly and varied the lengths of them as well.  I created digital focal elements using a digital frame for the Deco Label thinlit set (SU) and filling it with a font greeting and some single elements from image fonts.  After applying the three pieces of washi tape I did some manual embossing around the edges using  the Swiss Dot embossing folder and a hammer.  I coloured my focal element with watercolour.  I mounted the background to a coordinating card, added the focal element using 3D foam tape and to finish off the card added three coordinating sequins using double sided tape.  I really like these cards!!  I created this other one using a fussy cut greeting instead of adding a die cut and adding a watercolour background before putting on the washi tape.  I will be trying some with stamping as well. 

Therese

Bright and cheery cards from card kits

I made up these bright and cheery cards from kits from this class.  It sure is nice to have kits on hand as it makes getting last minute card made up very quick and easy!!  

These fun backgrounds were created with ink I made up from the ink cartridges we removed from our inkjet printer a while back.  I used 4" x 6" photo paper and then colour printed black images over the backgrounds before cutting them apart for my cards.  These digital images are from Melon headz. I stamped the card fronts with coordinating ink and some of my background stamps.  I colour printed the layers with their greetings and assembling the card was pretty simple after that!!

Therese

Cards from kits - embossed rectangles and a printed digital image as a focal element

I needed a few cards this week so I made up some kits from last week's class.   The first one features a sunrise digital image from Cre8tive Hands which I laser printed and watercoloured.  I did add a font greeting before printing and see that it has ended up quite small but that does mean it is somewhat subtle which works for this card.  I layered it onto red and then added four green embossed rectangles to a yellow card along with a bit of blue raffia to finish off my card.  I like the fun image which made a great Thinking of You card!  I made up the second card for a friend who has been in hospital!!  She will be recovering at home and I know she loves cards so I made up this kit for her.  I started with a dark blue card, added four light blue rectangles embossed with two different embossing folders and then added a length of ribbon across it punching a slot in the spine to insert my ribbon.  I glued the ends to the inside of the card.  I watercoloured this cute digital image of a puppie (Cre8tive Hands), mounted it onto a blue rectangle which I distressed then mounted it over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  I tied a short piece of ribbon to the one on the front using one knot to simulate a bow!!  I am wishing her a speedy recovery and hopefully a good Thanksgiving weekend.  

It is really nice to have card kits on hand for those days that you need a few quick cards!!

Purple and gold for a get well card

I worked on a few get well cards and this one was my last one for now.  I started with the laser printed decorative paper which I ripped in two, trimmed to fit above and below the embossed border that I added to my purple layer and then glued into place.  I added a length of vintage seam binding gluing the ends to the back of the layer before adhering this large element to the front of a gold card.  I punched a purple scallop circle (SU) and added a round greeting punchie (DesertDiva) which I had watercoloured to coordinate.  I pierced each scallop to add a bit of texture before I adhered it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I tied a short length of seam binding to the one on the front of my card with a single knot to simulate a bow.  I love this colour combination!!  Bright and cheery!

Therese

Red and orange with a round Get well greeting

I made another get well card for my stash.   I started with a scrap of decorative paper I had on my desk which featured oranges and reds.  Check out the cards I made with the other piece of this rainbow paper.   I found an embossing folder that coordinated nicely and embossed the top portion of a orangy rust card and adhered my decorative paper to the bottom portion.  I layered a laser printed round greeting (CLKER) with a watercoloured border onto a red scalloped circle and added a yellow silk flower, a yellow sequin and attached them all together using a tiny gold.  I pierced each scallop to add a bit of texture to this focal element.  It needed a bit of something to finish it off so I die cut this swirl and glued the ends to the back of my focal element before adding it to my card front.
I really like the colours and it makes a very nice bright get well card.

Therese

A beautiful butterfly get well card

I needed a few get well cards for my stash so I made a few.  This one features a beautiful butterfly (CLKER) which I laser printed and watercoloured to coordinate with the decorative paper.  The decorative paper was cut twice like these cards from my last class, layered onto brown cardstock and then onto a blue card front.  I added some faux stitching around the butterfly image and adhered it to the front of the card using double sided tape.  I colour washed a laser printed punchie (SU) greeting and adhered it below the focal element using double sided tape as well.
I had most of these supplies very close at hand so it was a relatively quick card to create!!

Therese

Tulips for a get well card

I colour printed several of these tulip tags from Graphics Fairy when I was printing images for other cards a few days ago.  They are really cute and came in a sheet with several other Easter images.  I trimmed the image to the edge of the design, ran a marker around the edge and then ran a brush full of water all the way around it and it created an automatic colour wash of the edge!! The versatility of waterbased markers!!  I found this nice polka dot paper which coordinated nicely so I trimmed out a piece and glued it to a red card front.  I inserted a piece of red organza ribbon through the hole in the tag and then glued both ends to the inside of my card snipping a slot on the spine for it using my slot punch (SU).  I adhered my tag to my card using 3D foam tape and added a laser printed layered punchie greeting (SU)  just below it to finish off my card. It is a springy card which will work nicely to cheer someone who is under the weather.

Therese

All Occasion Stack class - cut and circled

For my next card, I decided to feature decorative paper in hopes of reducing my stash!!  Not even dented!!  

I cut the decorative paper 3.75" x 5" and made two cuts - one in each direction and when the pieces were glued to the next layer it created a cross as the lower colour showed through.  I discovered that once cut the pieces provide a puzzle to be solved before they can be glued in place!! I chose to layer my circle greeting over the intersection of the lines but the creative ones at class chose many more options in both the cutting and the layout of these cards!!  The circle greetings were laser printed on white or ivory and punched with a 1.75" circle punch (SU).  They were layered onto scalloped circles which were die cut from coordinating cardstock using my Nestibilities.  I found most of these round greetings at Netty's cards.  She has a really good variety and some for every occasion.  The little turtle one is very cute and the floral element were found on line but I do not have a record of where I found them.    Therese

Two fun cards with reused die cut elements

The focal elements on these two cards have been die cut from used cards!!  They are great!!  

For the first card, I used this cute little birthday card image which was die cut (Nestibilities) from the back of a large card.  I started with a yellow card front which I stamped with a circle foam stamp in yellow. I added a coordinating pink layer with a distressed edge.  I cut a hole in the green layer using a Nestibilities Circle die to accommodate and frame the cake die cut then embossed it with a dots embossing folder.  I tied on a little orange yellow picot ribbon on the right hand side before I glued it to the card.  I adhered the focal image using 3D foam tape inside the hote in the green layer.  I layered a pink laser printed greeting oval punchie greeting to a scalloped oval punchie and adhered below the image.  Cute card for a little girl's birthday!!  

The second card features a little rose die cut which was cut from the inside of a used card.  I stated with an ivory card front and added a dark green layer.  I embossed a layer of pink paper and then layered on two rectangles of pink/ivory decorative paper.  I trimmed a scrap of the green cardstock on both ends and glued it to the left hand side of my card and then adhered the rose die cut over it using 3D foam tape.  Finally, I stamped the greeting in dark pink next to the focal element.  Pink and green - so I am loving it!!

Therese 

Reusing old cards to make new ones!!

A few more cards I have created using images from old greeting cards that have been donated for refurbishing.  For the first card, I trimmed out the cottage image and added a green scallop border on the right after I had punched each scallop with a 1/16" hole punch.  It was created using some wax resist/watercolour background paper from my stash.  I layered a rectangle of gold gift wrap to a brown card front and then added my embellished image.  I added a green ribbon across the bottom gluing the ends to the inside of the card.  I cut a very slim opening on the spine using my slot punch to slip the ribbon into.  I layered a laser printed greeting over a brown die cut label and adhered to the front of my card using 3D foam tape.  

For my second card, I trimmed the hummingbird image from an old card, layered it onto gold gift wrap, then onto an orange rectangle and finally onto a dark brown card.  I stamped a greeting onto the image using green ink and my card was done!!

For my third card, I trimmed out the image, added a folded ribbon on the top right and layered on half of a silver label (SU).  I layered a laser printed greeting onto a blue label and adhered it over the silver label.  It is very different for me to put the greeting in that location but that was the space that was available.  I find that using images from old card has be stretching myself creatively!!  

A few more cards to add to my stash!!

Therese

Get well card with an image in an embossed frame

I combined a watercoloured image (Meljens Designs) with an embossed background almost seamlessly!!  I embossed the background and then the watercoloured image so that the frame would encompass the image.  I then trimmed the image along the inside of the embossed border and glued it into the debossed area inside the frame. To really incorporate it nicely I embossed the whole thing again!!  Worked perfectly to really sink the image into the frame though you have to be very careful to really put the embossed areas back into place properly or you get a bit of ghosting happening.  Love how it worked out.  I glued this large focal element to the front of a blue card and added a single punched greeting below the image.  Thought it needed a bit of something so I sponged a bit of blue ink over the embossing to give the whole thing a bit of unity.  Much better!!!
Will have to see about using this technique with some of my other embossing folders which have frames in them.   If you give it a try, let me know!!

Therese

Some more floral cards with pop

Here are the rest of the cards that I finished off with the bright and popping images I found a white back. Here are the other ones I posted the other day.  I used white pencil crayon and a stardust glitter gel pen to embellish the laser printed digital image so they would pop a bit from the bold ink background.  I digitally created frames with greetings, printed them on white cardstock and glued my images into them.  I trimmed the quarter sheets just a bit to allow the card colour to show all the way around. Love the bright and bold artsy look of these cards.  Therese

Fun bird cards

I sold some of my handmade cards at church on the weekend to raise funds for one of the organizations I belong to.  It was very successful so I am making more for next month.
I found these two laser printed card fronts in a box I was rummaging in to find something else this week so I decided to use them to create another couple of cards for my stash.  The bird images (Graphic Fairy) were framed with colour and laser printed.  I embossed the bottom with two different embossing folders and added coordinating vintage seam binding just below the images tying a short piece to the length to simulate a bow.  I glued this whole layer to a coordinating card front and added layered greetings which I created with a label die (SX) and the Window Word punch (SU).  It is nice to find a bit of a stash of supplies that make getting cards made a little faster.  I found a few more things in the box which will show up in the next few posts.
Therese